Forsaken Me
by MyBlingBlingKey
Summary: Minho raised Taemin and stood by him through their childhoods. When the time comes for Minho to leave, Baby Tae is told not to forget him.  Years later, the two meet again but Taemin really has forsaken him! Can SHINee events reawaken his lost memories?
1. Chapter 1: Minho Hyung!

1: Minho Hyung!

"Minho Hyung," Taemin sat in the glowing-green garden, admiring the flowers which surrounded him.

"Yes," the lanky 7-year-old came in the other child's view, standing in the doorway to the yard.

"Look at all the flowers!" Taemin's exclamation brought chuckles to the boy's lips.

"They are beautiful," Minho sighed. "So which one's your favorite?"

"Hm," the baby-faced toddler struggled to lift his bottom and began to run around the open area, in search of a particular plant. "This one!"

A tiny finger pointed at the only sunflower in sight. It's giant leaves towered above Taemin, it's big yellow petals shined in the morning's sunlight.

"Really? It is very pretty," Minho smiled his sad smile.

"It is! It's always standing straight, staring up at the sun, unwavering, unlike the other flowers which lean in every which way and wilt," Taemin's childish words held hidden meaning that he himself didn't understand, but unsurprisingly, Minho did.

The beautiful morning's silence was only broken by Minho's melancholy words, "Taemin-ah, you have to promise that you'll remain my sunflower, no matter how far we're apart, and for however long."

His upset tone made Taemin look up at him in confusion. "Hyung? You know I'm horrible at keeping promises. What do you mean?"

Minho smiled, eyes shining in the daylight. "It's nothing."

"Okay Hyung," he replied cheekily, unfazed by the mysterious air that arose.

"Minho," a young woman's voice suddenly called out in the comfortable silence that had enveloped them.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Hyung!" Taemin waved casually, as any oblivious child would.

Minho just smiled that sad smile, picking up his heavy suitcase from behind him. _If you can't be my sunflower, then I'll forever be yours._


	2. Chapter 2: Forsaken

2:Forsaken

"Minho, meet Taemin," all the memories came back as Manager Hyung 'introduced' them.

Taemin looked into his big, brown eyes for a few seconds.

And for those few seconds, Minho's hope still lived. The chance that he might still remember him plagued his mind like a disease. There was almost no chance, but still, he hoped. He hoped like a fool.

The maknae of the group presented his hand. "I'm Taemin, it's really nice to meet you!"

And in that moment, Minho's hope died. Like a bullet to his brain, a quick death filled with lasting pain. To keep the idea in his head, to be thinking constantly of him, to be holding high hope, for so many years...

"Hello, I'm Minho," and yet, he couldn't shed a tear. All the pain he was going through now, would eventually fade, wouldn't it? And true to his quiet nature, Minho's mysterious face hid his feelings. He held the tears for as long as he could. Until night fell.

The grass crumpled beneath his feet. It was unusually cold for a spring night but Minho didn't mind. He was too numb to feel anything. He knew that the redness around his eyes would fade, just like the tears did.

In all aspects of the word, he was a fool. A fool for his dongsaeng. The dongsaeng that he'd spent years practically raising and caring for. And he'd forgotten him. As if he was an acquaintance.

Minho's self-pitying was interrupted by an unwelcome sight.

Taemin sat on the park railing, wearing only a light sweater and skinny jeans, looking out at the dying flowers that had been planted by the nearby elementary school's kindergarten class a few weeks earlier. His eyes were squinted, as if he was trying to think back on something, but failing.

Minho's heart thumped at an irregular pace as he gazed at the face of the boy who'd once looked up to him, like they were brothers.

Then he remembered the happenings earlier that day, and he began to walk back slowly.

Unfortunately, he ended up stepping on a branch, making a loud snapping sound which caught the attention of the previously distracted Taemin.

"Minho Hyung-nim? Is that you?" Taemin's voice was surprised and he smiled at the new company. "Would you like to sit beside me?"

"Ah-Actually..." Minho stuttered but knew that it'd be considered rude if he declined for no reason. "Sure."


	3. Chapter 3: Reminisce

3: Reminisce

The two sat there, listening to the park's chilling silence.

"So what's your reason for coming to the park at this time?" Taemin, always the talkative one, began the conversation first.

"No particular reason," Minho lied bluntly.

"Oh-ho," Taemin smiled that smile that always had Minho's heart thumping. "Somehow, I don't believe that! I mean people aren't usually out this late."

He had his point. It was 2am in the morning.

"I'm just an early bird," Minho stated as a finality.

And the silence continued.

"Aren't you going to ask about me?" Taemin's pout remained the same, even through all the years. And it tugged on Minho's heart to see that he'd hardly changed at all through the years.

"If you want to talk, then you can, I won't force it out of you," he replied nonchalantly, but in reality, Minho was dying to know how Taemin had been throughout the years after he'd left him.

"I'm just thinking over the past and being optimistic for the future..."

Taemin rubbed his hands and blew on them, as well. That's when Minho realized how lightly he had dressed. He didn't even have gloves!

"Why'd you come out here in such attire? It's so cold!" Minho scolded and handed Taemin his scarf which he had no use of since he was already sweating.

"I didn't think it'd be this cold," his whining increased Minho's anger. "Thanks..."

"For what?"

"For caring," Taemin smiled a strangely gentle and mature smile, one that Minho had never seen. But it affected him all the same.

These moments made Minho happy. Even though he knew his love wasn't being returned, the kindness he got almost made up for his loss. But he was always aware of that searing pain that came when he saw Taemin.

Staring down at him now, Minho saw something that he hadn't seen noticed earlier. "What's that?"

"Hm?" Taemin looked down at his ring. "Oh this? It's a sunflower!"

Minho obviously knew that. "You like sunflowers?" He feigned innocence.

"Yeah, they remind me of old times..." Taemin's voice faded and Minho could only dream that he was imagining of him.

A bird squeaked, a few trees away.

"You know," Taemin whispered. "When we first met, you reminded me of someone from my childhood."

Minho's breathing rate increased as he listened closely to Taemin.

"You looked so similar to him," his voice cracked a little at the end. And Minho stood as still as a statue, afraid to wake from this dream. "You even sound a bit like him..."

The air was thick with tension that Taemin couldn't sense.

Taemin didn't make another comment, though Minho was dying to know what else he was going to say. When he finally looked back down at him, he realized that his little Taemin had fallen asleep and was resting his head on his shoulder.

Taemin... Lee Taemin. And Minho recalled that promise he'd made as a child. _If you can't be my sunflower, then I'll forever be yours._

That's the night that Minho ended up giving Taemin a piggy-back-ride to their dorm.

Minho couldn't see it, but throughout the whole ride, a small, childish smile stayed on Taemin's face as he dreamed of his childhood Hyung.


	4. Chapter 4: Just Different

4: Just Different

"Jinki Hyung-nim," he called timidly.

"Minho, I told you to just call me Onew Hyung!" Jinki, the Leader of the group, scratched his head as he approached his dongsaeng in the kitchen. "Or at least Hyung."

Onew, as the fans called him, had just taken a nap and was impatiently waiting for dinner.

"So what are we having?" Onew asked, yawning, as he took a seat at the bare dinner table.

"Um," Minho still wasn't used to sleeping in the same house as his Hyungs and found their presence intimidating. "Key Hyung went shopping for the ingredients but I still have no clue..."

"Aish," he replied, heading towards his shared dorm. "Just call me when dinner is ready!"

"Sure, Hyung," came the soft reply.

Minho took a seat and laid his head on the cool wood surface.

It'd already been a week that SHINee had been introduced to each other. Soon after, they had been told to live together. The past week had been both stressful and rewarding to the exhausted Minho.

Practice was tough and tiring, but he'd always caught on to things easily and the dance for their debut wasn't as difficult as he had imagined.

Minho's rapping part brought a small smile to his face. Music was like life, that was the belief that the high school student had. He loved to rap and whenever he got the chance to, he would sing his part.

But the most difficult thing about his band life, was that there was always a reminder of the past. Yup: Taemin.

_"Minho Hyung! Let's get ice cream!"_

_ "Look Hyung, that girl is really pretty,"_

_ "Hyung, let's go to shopping! They have new video games!"_

_ "Minho Hyung, can you practice this part with me?"_

_ "Omo, Hyung, what's with that sad expression?"_

_ "Hyung, can you help me with this homework question?"_

Everyday there was something new. Minho could sometimes slip out of having to be alone with the innocent maknae, but at times where he clung to his arm, there was no getting out of it.

It's not like he had started hating his group member, but whenever their eyes met, Minho could feel that pain intensifying in his heart. Was it his fault that he forgot Minho? Yes. Did he blame him for it? Of course not.

Minho already accepted that he was still in love with his forgetful dongsaeng. Yet, being forgotten by him was a powerful punch to his pride. He'd already decided that he wouldn't try to get Taemin to remember him. He would just try to make a new beginning.

But Minho was afraid that if Taemin discovered how he felt, everything would be ruined. Not just his career, but the only connection Minho had to him. He was already beginning to suspect that the other members were noticing how he winced at Taemin's touches and avoided being around him when SHINee had to do something together...

"I'm home!" Taemin's loud voice wafted from the dorm door to the kitchen. And instead of greeting him, Minho did something clever. He pretended to be sleeping at the dinner table.

"Minho Hyung," the group's middle school maknae entered the kitchen to find one of his Hyungs laying his head on the table. "Are you asleep?"

No reply came.

Taemin just shrugged and dropped his school bag on the table diagonal from the sleeping elder. After little consideration, Taemin decided to sit across from him.

Minho listened to the soft shuffling and heard the chair across from him being pulled out. And as he always did, Minho regretted what he was doing. What would happen if Taemin found out he wasn't sleeping? This was wrong, and he knew it. But he couldn't just pop his head up and say, "Good morning!"

"Key Hyung?" Taemin opened his phone and spoke to his caller. "Yeah, I got home."

Minho eavesdropped on the conversation, the guilt burning in his heart.

"Onew Hyung? I think he's in his room. Yep, Jonghyun Hyung wanted to practice by himself at the studio, so he stayed," silence as Kibum spoke quietly on the other line.

"Minho Hyung is sleeping in front of me..." Minho could hear some hidden emotions behind the casual tone.

On the other side, Key replied quickly and loudly but Minho couldn't make out any of the words.

"Hyung," Taemin asked, his voice stained with sadness. "When is this going to end... You said it was just a phase. Why does it have to be only me going through this?"

Minho's eyes widened, but thankfully, his face couldn't be seen from under his covering arms.

Was something wrong with Taemin? Why did he sound so frustrated about a 'phase'? And exactly what was it that Key knew and Minho didn't? He so wished that he could take a peek at the flustered maknae.

"But Hyung!" Taemin sounded enraged now. "Onew Hyung doesn't have to deal with it! I know he's the Leader, but-"

Loud replies came from the phone's speaker.

Taemin's anger drained and back came his depression. "Is there something wrong with me, Hyung?"

The next reply, Minho could hardly catch, but he was thankful that he did.

"You're just... Different," said Key.

Minho's position was starting to get uncomfortable so he shifted his face to the right.

Bad idea.

"Hyung, I think he's waking up!" Taemin sounded alarmed. "I'll talk to you tonight!"

Once he hung up, Taemin just sat there. Staring at the silent and still, Minho.

And he sighed.

A sigh that Minho could interpret a bunch of different emotions from.


End file.
